Visiting A Pflugerville ISD Campus

Pflugerville ISD requires all visitors, including parents and guardians, to register with the District's visitor management system(VMS) before they proceed beyond the front office. Visitors must present a photo ID, such as a valid driver's license, official state photo ID from any state and most countries, or a military ID, and check in through the VMS by swiping their ID.

12 Frequently Asked Questions

1. Why is Pflugerville ISD using a visitor management system?

Campus Safety

The safety of our students is our highest priority and utilizing a visitor management system enhances school security by reading visitor drivers’ licenses or other valid photo identifications and comparing information to sex offender databases nationwide, as well as to private alerts. If a match is found, the system alerts campus administrators and school based law enforcement. Assuming that no match is made, the system then prints a visitor badge that includes a photo, visitor’s name, time and date, and purpose of the visit.

2. How does it work?

National Database Review

Driver's license or other valid photo identification information is compared to a data base that consists of registered sex offenders from 49 states including Texas. It also can check the identification against private alerts of individuals who for various reasons are restricted from campus access. This could include students who are suspended or expelled, known gang members, drug dealers, or people with restraining orders. If a match is found, campus administrators and law enforcement personnel can take appropriate steps to keep the campus safe.

3. Who will use the system to check in?

All Visitors and Non-District Staff

All visitors and non-District staff including substitute teachers, volunteers, contractors, subcontractors, parents, and family members should be scanned at all times. In addition, Pflugerville ISD employees who do not have an employee badge visible must be scanned and wear the printed badge. Persons who have concerns about the impact of the system upon them or their families should ask to talk to a campus administrator or school based law enforcement before trying to access the campus.

4. Do I have to check in every time I visit a campus?

Yes

As is District policy, visitors always will be expected to check in and get a badge; however once a person has logged in to a campus using their photo identification the first time, follow up visits are as simple as entering name and destination using a self-service kiosk.

5. Are there any exceptions for using the system?

Certain Special School Events

The purpose of the visitor management system is to enhance school safety and security. As such, a person should check in every time they visit the campus. Some exceptions may apply. This includes an adult whose only destination is the office for the purpose of dropping off or picking up items or individuals. In addition, emergency personnel (police, fire, medical) responding to an incident are not be expected to sign in. However, if they are on campus for a presentation, inspection, or personal reasons they need to check in as well. Depending upon the nature of a special school event, the amount of campus accessible, and the interaction with students the check-in process may vary. Contractors and delivery personnel who need campus access beyond the office must use the system.

6. What other information is the school taking from drivers’ licenses or other valid photo identification?

None

The visitor management system is only scanning the visitor’s name, date of birth, and photo for comparison. Additional visitor data will not be gathered and no data will be shared with any outside company or organization.

7. There are other PISD campuses nearby, can I check in at one campus and visit the others?

No

It is important that each campus know who is visiting and badges are specific to each campus and the individual there. Printed badges include the time, date, and destination of the visitor. In addition, badges are color coded so that the badge colors for primary, elementary, middle, and high schools each will be different. Visitors to campuses are expected to surrender their printed badge when they leave campus, and that badge should be torn, shredded, or otherwise destroyed.

8. What sort of identification can I use?

Official State Photo ID

Identification may include valid driver’s license from any state, official state photo identification card from any state and many countries, or military identification card for scanning. Work identification badges do not work in this system. If a person does not have photo identification, the campus administrator, based upon knowledge of a person and situation, can make a determination to allow entry or refuse access to the facility and/or a student. With proper identification and authorization, persons without identification cards for scanning can be manually entered into the system. A person who is not yet in the system and forgets their identification, and is known to the campus, can be manually entered into the system no more than twice each year.

9. If an alert comes back indicating that the person just scanned is a sexual offender, what happens?

School Officals Will Take Appropriate Action

Campus administrators, school based law enforcement, and other school officials will be notified of the match, and appropriate action will be taken.

10. Is it possible for the system to produce “false” notifications, and how are these managed?

Campus Staff Will Verify the Match

The system, like any computer search system, uses set criteria to lookup, find, and match names. Occasionally, names and date-of-births will be similar enough to cause a “false positive” to occur. Campus staff will verify quickly whether or not the notification actually matches the person and contact the visitor management system help desk for verification assistance if necessary.

11. The system also helps manage volunteer activities. How does this work?

Database of Volunteer Hours and Duties

The visitor management system will provide an electronic database of volunteer hours and duties performed by a campus. Each volunteer will scan their identification into the system on the first visit. On subsequent visits, the volunteer’s name will be located through the quick find screen. Volunteers also will be asked to check out when the volunteer activity is completed.

12. What is a self-serve kiosk?

For Frequent Visitors

Each campus will set up a self-serve kiosk for individuals who frequently visit the campus. Using the kiosk, the visitor will select volunteer or visitor and identify their intended location. A badge will be printed. All information is deleted from the system at the end of each school year, and the process starts again with the next school year.

For more information, contact your campus administrator or the PISD Office for Safety and Crisis Management (512-594-0223).